In a Nutshell

Writing in Euractiv, Dr. Fabian Zuleeg, CEO of the European Policy Centre, argues that the traditional role of think tanks as neutral, technocratic advisors is increasingly obsolete. The policy landscape, particularly in Brussels, has shifted dramatically: European integration has become a politicized battleground, and the knowledge ecosystem that once underpinned it is weakening as member states disengage and funding shrinks.

Meanwhile, illiberal actors have moved decisively. Networks of advocacy organizations, media platforms, and ideologically-driven think tanks have proven highly effective at shaping political agendas, from Brexit to both Trump presidencies, and are now actively targeting European institutions and narratives. Liberal democratic think tanks, by contrast, have been slower to recognize and respond to this shift.

Our Take

The most uncomfortable insight in Zuleeg’s piece is also the most important: liberal democratic actors risk losing the battle of ideas not because their arguments are weaker, but because they are still playing by rules their opponents abandoned long ago. And it is true that when knowledge producing institutions, whether universities or think tanks, are systematically undermined, defunded, or captured by ideological actors, their core missions are disrupted, and democracy’s attack surface widens dangerously.

The solution, however, is not to mirror illiberal tactics, which would sacrifice the very credibility that make these organizations valuable. Rather, it demands smarter investment in viewpoint diversity, stronger checks against the politicization of certain knowledge institutions, and a clearer-eyed recognition that defending the very architecture of our institutions against attacks is probably a better investment than taking a stand in the latest ideological war.